Tuesday night U2 brought their new Innocence + Experience tour to Los Angeles for the first of five shows at the Forum. While U2 has always aimed to find creative new ways to bridge the gap that exists between band and audience in most large scale shows, this tour in particular really succeeds in accomplishing that (maybe even more so than any other tour in recent memory). The extensive stage design, as well as the screens positioned above the catwalk, provided an incredibly inclusive and innovative way to immerse fans all over the venue. Because of the dimensionality of the structure, there was virtually no "best" or "worst" spot in the house, but simply different experiences offered to audience members depending on where they were located. The common thread running throughout the performance was the feeling of connection and intimacy, and while one might assume this would be difficult to achieve in such a large venue, the raw emotion found in so many U2 songs was felt deeply throughout the crowd.
Setlist:
Set 1:
1) The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)
2) The Electric Co.
3) Vertigo
4) I Will Follow
5) Iris (Hold Me Close)
6) Cedarwood Road
7) Song for Someone
8) Sunday Bloody Sunday (acoustic)
9) Raised by Wolves
10) Until the End of the World
Set 2:
11) Invisible
12) Even Better Than the Real Thing
13) Mysterious Ways
14) California (There Is No End to Love)
15) Sweetest Thing
16) Every Breaking Wave (acoustic)
17) Bullet the Blue Sky
18) Pride (In the Name of Love)
19) Beautiful Day
20) With or Without You
Encore:
21) City of Blinding Lights
22) Where the Streets Have No Name
23) One
